Sunday, July 15, 2007

Riding in Chariots with Scrolls

We have a rather long, but easily read, text this week for our consideration.

Acts 8:26-40

Now an angel angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:

"He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth."

The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?" And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.


Questions:
  • As you read this what are the first things that come to your mind?
  • What in this text strikes you as remarkable?
  • What is the main point of this story?
  • How does this passage speak to need to be in contact with others to learn?
  • How are the Old Testament and Jesus connected?
  • What is the "good news about Jesus"?
  • What is the link between Jesus and baptism?

What else is on your mind this mid-summer week?

38 comments:

Allen said...

It’s Sunday morning, and I’m getting prepared for the only day of the week on which I work. Ha ha. I wonder what today will be like?

Anonymous said...

good morning to all. well it is almost 7:30 and I just got done reading the blog from December to today. I went all the way back to December blogging because of what different people had wrote on the blog last month about my attitude, and about me tooting my own horn. After reading everything I wrote from December to now, I do not regret any of the things I wrote. First I must say, I do not toot my own horn. I love sharing with what I thought were my church family. Last week I talked to Gary and told him that I didn't want to attend church anymore because I was tired of having the church come down on me when I opened up to them. I am a very open person, maybe too open at times and now I know how people really feel so I have told God for now on, I will limit my talk and just do what he tells me to do and just keep it to myself. I use to never understood why Jesus would tell people he healed or did something miraclously in their life not to go and tell anyone but now I fully understand why he did it. People will not understand you and that is so true. The person who cast stones at me last month, all I can say is God be with you and you are forgiving. I won't hold no bitterness toward you. the person and not persons who threw stones at me last month came from one person. When I wrote about me being disappointed, it became a personal issue, a chance to get back at me. How do I know this? because the same thing that was written on here last month. I heard it in person and more than once. This is one of the reason I have a problem dealing with fake people but hey, you got to love them as well. You don't want too but you have too. What did Jon say, hate the sin but love the sinner.

Allen said...

I appreciate so many rejoicing with Kedra and I this morning as we announced the engagement of Lester and Maddie. I am so happy for them. I cannot think of a better young lady for Lester to marry. We love her as one of our own, and we love her family. Our church family is blessed with some very wonderful young couples who have recently married or will be married soon. How can we serve them better?

Allen said...

I had a good talk with Gino this evening. I was concerned that he was leaving us, but he is not. We discussed some pretty heavy issues regarding speech, humility, hypocrisy, and the need to be careful about the way others perceive what we say. I have had problems with these things most of my life, so the conversation is easy and familiar.

I told Gino that I love him unconditionally and that I believe he is uniquely gifted to reach people that I probably could not. He seems to be very effective with people on the edges and with people who have had a pretty hard way to go. I think this illustrates the body concept. We are all different and can impact different people in different ways. Thank God for all of us.

Gino needs encouragement not criticism. Don’t we all? We talked about that too.

[I told Gino I was going to post this...]

Allen said...

Doesn’t Chris T. have a nice reading voice? I was telling him after worship this morning that he did a good job and has great potential. Further, I was telling him about a project David Fleer is working on regarding the public reading of Scripture. I agree with Fleer that this is an area of great underachievement. I am interested in taking a few people who have a passion for reading with understanding and feeling and working with them.
I just sent Fleer this quote from Richard B. Hayes’,
The Conversion of Imagination, p. 200.

When I was an undergraduate at Yale University, students flocked to Professor Alvin Kernan’s lecture courses on Shakespeare. Kernan’s work predated the academy’s current infatuation with ideological criticism. Even though it was the late 1960s and we were all living in an atmosphere charged with political suspicion and protest, none of this overtly impinged on Kernan’s lectures. Kernan was not a flashy lecturer.

He loved the texts. His teaching method — as I remember it — was simply to engage in reflective close readings of Shakespeare tragedies and comedies, delineating their rich texture of image and metaphor and opening up their complex central themes — moral, philosophical, and religious. Often, Kernan would devote a significant part of his lecture time to reading the text aloud, not in any highly dramatic manner, but with sensitivity to the text’s rhythms and semantic nuances. I would often sit in class thinking, “Oh! ...I hadn’t heard that in the text before.” And I would leave the class pondering the problems Shakespeare addressed: love, betrayal, fidelity, sacrifice, death, and hope.

Anonymous said...

Funny you should mention Chris' reading voice; I thought this morning what a good job he did. All those Taflinger kids are a pretty nice bunch.
Touching on baptism, something that crossed my mind tonight during Duane's class was that we tend to think of baptism and conversion as being one in the same. I don't think they are. Even tho scripture reports lots of episodes of people being converted on the spot, I think true conversion usually (not always) requires more time. Baptism is kind of like a wedding, in that it doesn't create the relationship, but it does seal the deal. Also, is immersion the exact moment in which we're saved, or are we saved at some point prior to that? I find it hard to believe that at one point you're a hellbound sinner, and five minutes later, you're saved. I think there's got to be more to it.
Donna

Anonymous said...

Gee, the ribs are gone.
Probably made everyone hungry.
I was going to suggest we dub Allen "Smokey Joe", buy someone suggested the "Holy Smoker" instead.

Anonymous said...

Howdy all. this is Jon Goller first off i'd like to say welcome back Allen, and please cook me some ribs like the ones from the picture.. Texas roadhouse gets bout 15 bucks for a plate full, i'll give 20 if you throw in a sprite and some good stories.. Secondly i'd like to say something about Gino and what Allen said yesterday about giving him encouragement. I think that Gino and many many others has the right goal, (i'm not excluding anyone we are all a team for God). To help save the un-saved. Show them who Christ is. I also know from life and experience that there are three basic sides to life, and please just stick with me for a second. It’s exactly like a fence row you’ve got folks on the side that don’t care and don’t want to know God or to be saved (sad but true) (call that side Left) then you’ve got the folks on the side of God that are saved and serve God to the best of their human ability (awesome) (call that side Right) then you’ve got the ones who stand on the fence looking over onto both sides trying to choose which side to be on. The Left side looks good, fun, Easy. The right side is as most folks know, sometimes tough, most times great and peaceful, but always always the right choice because of the eternal blessings. But in my opinion it’s the ones on the fence that need the saving, they are the ones that have a better chance of being saved. Not that the ones on the Left side can’t be saved, but they will be less likely to cross over than the ones trying to make the right choice. So in a nutshell, I see Gino and many many others in and out of church working very hard to grab those whom are on the fence and saveable. And I see them reaching way across the fence trying to help the ones way on the Left side. And I’m thankful to the church and the church body for that. And yes of course we humans don’t save anybody, Jesus does the saving, Glory to Him… And listening to Allen dig and ask all the time what we as a body of The church needs to do or be doing, well I think this is a very important task. And I have no idea what all the churches do to accomplish this, way way more than I’ll ever know. But I give credit to God by using people and churches like mcoc and ALL the others out there who do make this their mission and goal. Way to let God work through you.!!! Oh yeah did I mention that sometimes those fence rows aren’t so clean and readily accessible, most fence rows are filled with briars and thorn trees and grown over with clutter. So don’t be afraid to get a little dirty, and don’t be afraid to reach into that nasty fence row of life in order to pull someone to the Right side (God’s side). This all struck me yesterday when Allen mentioned the extra 167 hours in the week that we do what we do. Just some random thoughts to try encourage all of you. Thanks..
Jon Goller

Anonymous said...

I don't know how to ask my question without coming across as complaining, so I will just start off by saying Lord please help me write what is on my heart and let the people read it through your eyes! Do you feel that we are quick to baptize people and then let them figure it out...meaning how to live for Christ, the struggles that go along with it, temptations, even the language that the church seems to use like grace, faith, holy spirit, etc. I know that the holy spirit took Philip away after the baptism, but I wonder if people feel like that we have left them after baptism. Surely this guy had questions since that's how the conversation started about interpertation of the word. I feel that after the rejoicing was over he needed guidance! Do you think we are guilty of dipping then dumping? I think of that young lady about a month ago who was going through a scary time in her life with surgery and since she has been baptized I haven't seen her in the church building. I'm not saying that no one has contacted her or went to see her at the hospital because I don't know, and I know that I am guilty of not doing any of the above. I guess I am trying to say that I am concerned about reaching out to the newbys after that so called "life changing experience". Hopefully this makes sense, I'm just asking for advice as to how to help people feel comfortable with the new life that Jesus gives them. Joni Mathews

Anonymous said...

One day a family drops off Grandma in a nursing home, where they are assured that she will be well cared for. Shortly after they leave, Grandma slowly starts to lean sideways in her chair. The nurse immediately rushes over and straightens her up. A little while later Grandma starts to tilt to the other side and once again the nurse runs over and props her back up. This continues until the family comes back that night for a visit. So how are they treating you, Grandma? Not bad, the old woman replies, Except they won't let me fart.

Allen said...

Some responses to your posts:

I think baptism is one of those things that we cannot fully grasp. The more I study it the more I see it as a multi-faceted, mysterious, mystical experience, yet even the simplest of folks can grasp that it is a simple obedience to God where God does something. I think the symbolism of baptism is absolutely beautiful. I know there are all kinds of questions, some hypothetical and some not, about baptism, but I just want to teach what I see Scripture saying. It says a lot. What do you guys think? What about our passage for this week?

Goller is like a country prophet. I love it! Thanks for sharing those good thoughts, Jon.

Joni, your words are received with the spirit in which you spoke them. You raise a really good point that also bothers me. I don’t want to get too specific about your example, so let me speak generally.

I find the words of Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20 instructive, challenging, and convicting.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

From the words I emphasized you can see that there is a definite emphasis on instruction pre and post-baptism. We do some of this in various ways: individual discussions, a very good booklet that we hand out, and through encouraging attendance at classes and worship. There is still something missing, however. This is what we are working on presently with our Connection Ministry. I, we, are really open to your (plural) ideas. It is crucial that new people coming in form friendships. This is where a lot of different people can play a part. What ideas do you guys have, when it comes to assimilating new folks into our body?

The passage for the week does seem to show a “dip and dump” (I like that phrase!) approach, but what are the assumptions, based on the broader context of Acts?

Gino, I thought you were giving a parable about how we “dip and dump” by paralleling that with dumping people in the nursing home. I guess I was wrong... Ha ha ha

Anonymous said...

Greetings!
1. Allen, we too are excited for you and your family as you add to the number with Maddie to become a Burris. A great addition to your family.
2. Joni, I totally understand what you are saying and I have saw this same thing other places before. Although that doesnt make it right, MCoC is not alone and I think it is a problem. Do I have an answer, No, I think just like what we have been discussing in class, this is something we have to be mindful and deliberate on.
3. Chris's reading. I have always enjoyed someone who reads well and has a good voice. Often I have wondered if that maybe should be a class we offer sometime. A class that teaches people how to read in public. How to pronounce and annunciate the words and to use the puncuation as it is written. File that a way for something in the future.
4. Jon, first, it was great to have you all in class on Sunday. Sure it probably is not like any class you have attended before, but welcome. I loved your anology today in your post and some very good points. You are so true that everyone has a role in the church and there are so many that have different talents and abilities to do different things. Great to have you participating in the blog.
5. Gino!! Gino, Gino. Sure didnt see your last post coming. A little levity is always good. ha
seriously, i have thought a lot about you post lately and your efforts. One thing that keeps coming to mind to me is that be a witness and spreading the word is not clean and neat and tidy. It is messy, nasty, difficult and some time offensive. Everyone is not cut out to do it in all situations. God has given you some experiences that he has not given everyone. He has given you some opportunities as well that he has not given everyone. With the experiences it seems come some obligations and expectations too. He seems to have really touched your heart to take these live lessons and put them in action and to witness to those who have and will experience similar situations. Stay true to that conviction and stay focused on the goal. Understand your background and life is not the vanilla southern Indiana experience we all have had for the most part. i have made a vow to pray for you and your efforts.
RR

Allen said...

I’m pretty certain that I have A.D.D., so here I am writing this while I am also working on another project. Oh well...

Anyway, I plan to go to the softball games tonight. Lester and Luke’s team (the younger team) play at 7 & 8, and the girl’s team plays at 7 also. I think this is true: the boys have won every game except the ones I have attended. I hear they are considering taking up a collection to keep me from coming. Actually I find the ball games very enjoyable. Sometimes I get to see my good buddy Ron P. there; love that guy!

Allen said...

I attended Phyllis’ brother-in-law’s funeral yesterday. How can I say this? It was a great funeral. What I mean by that is the funeral did a good job of giving an informed glimpse into his life. I really enjoy hearing specific stories that help identify a person. Multiple people spoke and sang songs, including relatives. One guy sang a couple of songs while playing his guitar. He was very talented and sang a song he had written, inspired by one of the stories of Bill Haste’s life. It was really neat. Bill must have been a wonderful man.

I find funerals a really good time to reflect on life. I always want to go find my wife and kids and give them a hug. I wonder what people will say at my funeral? What about yours? [You should really treat me nicely, because I could just being doing yours; little levity for a heavy subject.]

OK, enough stalling, back to work!

Anonymous said...

I can remember when we got back to church at Central that there were several families who were encouraging to us and we also had Bible studies in our home (led by others) and invited our friends to come who also came to Christ. I was baptized as a teenager and my family did not attend church so my church family was very important to me as role models and as friends. My favorite place to be then was at church. Having my best friend there was what held me to a standard and I looked up to her and her family as good influences as well as many others. He puts us in places and situations where we have a choice to either grow, give up or stagnate. The choice is ours. It makes all the difference in your life which you choose and in the lives of everyone around you. I would not want to be one who would cause any discouragement to someone trying to walk with God. That is why it is so important to watch what we say, how we interact, and what we do because someone is watching and if we are Christians they will know who He is by us. We want to draw them in, not push them away. I can remember saying, thinking and doing really dumb things as I grew, (I still do) but Christian friends overlooked them encouraged me in my walk. They chose to see the soul, the inner person not the actions. Now that I am older and look back on my walk all I can say, is Thank You Lord for leading me. Sherron Fields

Anonymous said...

This is very lengthy so bear with me or just don't bother to read it if you like: Sunday evening was a very special one for me and the Lord. I wrote this as the day ended after evening services.

SUNDAY EVENING
7/15/2007
As I arrived at the front of the house this ninety-degree Southern Indiana evening to water the very thirsty flowers, the sweet, strong fragrance of the Star Gazer lilies greeted me. After the watering was done, I stood and looked at the immense blooms with the distinct star at the center with the setting sun causing the water drops to glisten and it reminded me of the glorious universe God planned for us. Next to the Star Gazer the little Blackberry lilies were closing up their beautiful burgundy and orange blooms, their job finished, preparing now to form a part of the lovely seed-pod they form. I sit now at my desk in my new little room fashioned from an ordinary storage building looking out the window, fan at my back, observing the evening escapades of the goldfinches clinging and chattering to the thistle sacks. Their color is such a brilliant yellow contrasting with the deep black that it nearly hurts your eyes to look at them but your eyes won’t look away from such wonder.

I love summer with the damp heat that produces every color imaginable, and beyond our imagination and am in wonder of God’s creativity and His delight as He fashions these miracles of foul and plant, each perfectly formed and with a purpose. The seeds that ensure a new crop of beauty, the seeds that feed the birds giving them life to reproduce life. My meager efforts to enhance His creation are paled by the constant renewal and rebirth going on around me.

The lightning bugs now light and dance across the grass as the evening sun goes down on this Sunday, the day of worship for my Creator and Sustainer of all life. The One who sent Part of Himself to this earth so that I could one day see God face to face. Until that day comes, I am content to see Him face to face in His wonderous creation. And I will do my part to help others see Him too in this beautiful world around us all. I took note of these scriptures today:
Eccliastes 11:6 Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good. Ecc: 11:4-5 He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in a pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of
God who makes all things. This tells me to let nothing stop me from the sowing-sow seeds anyway. We do not know the outcome, we do not know how God is working it out. Just sow—just work—just keep on going. He will reward with a bountiful crop, souls for Him, flowers for us all.

The tree frogs are chirping, the crickets are singing, the last of the birds sing their final evening song. The fan at my back now blows cool air onto my sweaty brow. Another day is finished. The final crimson of sunset fades from the sky. Tomorrow will be a busy one at work for me with several appointments—people needing to insure their cars and homes against unforeseen calamity. Something to put them back where they were, in case something happens to their hard-earned possessions. Back to the real world, back to helping them in any way I can to give them peace of mind. That’s my job for 3 ½ days each week and it keeps me on my toes, alert. And the financial help is necessary to feed my gardening habit and helps buy groceries and pay bills.

But for the moment as evening settles in, I sit here smelling the dill drying with accompanying flowers in two trays producing seeds to sow new flowers, a new crop of God’s bounty. Here in our little peaceful corner on earth-in my peaceful place-listening to crickets and frogs it is now dark outside. Time to go inside.
Good night,
Sleep tight,
Be at rest.
God is near,
God is here,
God has blessed.
Now to rest
and peaceful sleep.
Sherron Fields

Allen said...

OK, I’m back again. Thinking about our text: do you think God puts you in specific places at specific times with a view of reaching a specific person? Can this question get any more specific?

Allen said...

Hey, the thing Sherron posted, from her journal is really neat. She shared it with me a little earlier. Thanks, Sherron!

And also thank you for your good words that remind us all that we have to make choices and that church is vitally important for spiritual formation and development.

Anonymous said...

Wanna have fun? Go help with the food pantry. I don't get to help very often but when I do I leave there feeling so happy.

For one thing you get to be involved in something great, helping people gives you such a high and an appreciation for what you have, whether its great or small.

And number two is you get to be around wonderful people. Its always so much fun to converse with church family.

We were running out of food and had to be creative. I don't think Rose would have been disappointed with us.

Elizabeth was asking each person who came in if they belonged to a church and inviting them to ours. Allen was out of ear shot so we talked it up (just kidding).

Oh yeah, if anyone has grocery bags please bring them in we are running out.

Do you think its going to rain or just stay like this all day?

Annette

Anonymous said...

I said that I was not going to talk much on the blog anymore but I feel that God does not want me to be hush hush. I think it was last month that the church was talking about going out to a bar and witnessing to people as they came out. If they would have done that, I would have only went to video tape it because that would have been one comical sight to see. When I use to work at the Shiloh Full Gospel in San Francisco, the elder of the church would go take pictures at different clubs and he would try to witness to people there and it never worked. Why, because that is not where people care to hear about God. I had went out with him to a club the first week I got there and all I kept thinking was, what in the world am I doing in the devil pit. I am not a club person at all. I hate the loud music and nine times out of ten, people who go to club are not interested in what God has to say at that time. I'm sure that you do have people at the club as well as the bar who go to church. These places are where people want to get out and relax and have a good time. If you want to witness to people, DON'T GO OUT LOOKING TO WITNESS TO PEOPLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. if you are really craviing to witness to people. God will deliver the people to you. You have to be prepared to witness because there would be no point if you're going to tighten up. Last night I had prayed because I do have an attitude when it comes to God people not bringing people into the church and after talking it over with my boss last night, and I know that God placed him there to tell me this, even though I have been told this a thousand times before, even by Allen, witnessing is NOT FOR EVERYONE. My boss and I witness to each other about twice a week and even though we are alike in many ways, he never really had a hard life growing up even though he never grew up in the church. He is just a year older than I when it comes to the word but he knows his stuff and I love listening and talking to him because we are so much alike to a degree. Guy told me last night, I would love to go and witness to people like you do but how can I witness to people if I don't have the experience. Yes I know the word but who wants to listen to the word. They want to hear the life changing experience and you have that to give. I don't and even though I am a different man because of Christ, you have something to give that I can't and that it experience. So on that note, I must apologize to Allen and the church. I am truly sorry if I offended anyone. That was never attended, I'm just about doing the Lord's work, so please forgive me. I would like to share two more things before I go. This is something I wrote to Allen yesterday. Well not the full story. a couple of months before I accepted Christ into my life, I was living in a cardboard box on the streets of LA. I was out begging for money to get something to eat and Gino is not one to beg. Do you know what it is like to have your home soaked and torn down by the rain so now you are sleeping under a door way hoping that tomorrow would not come. I'm not sharing this to get any sympathy because this had to happen. this was my wakeup call because if God hadn't put me through the is, I probably would have never called out to him. God got my attention and to be honest, I wished that he had gotten my attention another way instead of that way but I know if it had been any other way, he probably wouldn't had gotten it. I don't know if anyone has ever been to a mission to live but it's not a pretty sight. for a year and a half, I was given homework five days a week and I went to the services twice a day six days a week and than had to go to church on sunday. can you imaging doing that for a year and a half. The morning service was great because that is where we had class. just imagine, you are sitting with over two hundred people trying to find themself and having God and his servants there to help them. we had homework to turn in and I'm talking about HOMEWORK. Laughing. I guess you can say, the morning service was school. The evening service was not great but it showed how appreciated you were to be there because you had to sit there with homeless people who some had not a care in the world for God or the mission, they were there for the food and not the spiritual food. most of the time it was hard to pay attention to the service because you felt so sorry for the people that was coming off the streets that you would spend most of your time thinking, what had they done to get this way. most of the people were on drugs or alcohol or just down on their luck. I felt sorry for all of them because they had the chance to come in and get right like I was trying to do. Do you know what it is like to sit next to someone who smell like urine or smell of bad sweat because they havent showered since God knows when. In truth, that person was once me sitting there without a care in the world. God allowed me to see what could happen to me if I fell backwards. I use to hang out with this guy name David. I still pray for David til this day because David was someone I looked up to when I was in the mission. A week before David was to graduate, he went back out and started using drugs again. cocaine was his friend and when he came to pick up his things that night, he had sent for me. when I went to the fence, David was on the other side crying and he had snot running down his nose. He told me that he had messed up and when he asked me to forgive him, I broke down and cried. I am not one to break down and cry in front of anyone, especially another male but I did and the sad thing about it all. we were seperated by a fence so all we could do was hold hands and cry together. David made me promise him that I would finish the program and let God do what he needed to do to get me right and not to be like him. I made my promise and I plan on keeping that promise. he asked me to pray for him and then he left. I saw David about five months later and he look like he lost at least a hundred pounds. cocaine had taken control of David body, he lost his teeth and he look nothing like he did when I met him. He had that spark of joy but you could tell it was not like it use to be. I tried getting him to come back into the program. he refused, you do not know how hard is it writing this because it brings a lump to my throat just thinking about it. I never saw David again after that day. I had another friend, we were dominoes partners at the mission. He had a cocaine problem but he got help before it took control of him. looking at him, you wouldn't have thought he needed the program because he was one of those happy all the time guys. when he completed the program, he would still come around and play dominoes and talk to me. three months later, we were told a shocking story. Carlos had hung himself in a hotel room. they had found cocaine on the bed and he had hung himself. now as most people know, I have tried suicide seven times and failed all seven times. Carlos suicide hit me hard because he had succeded with his and no one seen it coming. with me, I was a nobody at least that is what the devil try to have me believe. I have seen a lot of downsided life in the mission and I have seen so many upsided life as well. I know with all these things, God has allowed me to see them for a reason. I believe it is to let me know, Gino this can happen to you. You've been down most of these paths and I have saved you and turned you in the right direction now the choice is up to you. I know that God has allowed these things to happen to teach me things. I fear the Lord because I know what he is capable of doing because I have walked the walk. The bible says to trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your path.

Well this probably my longest blog yet but it was worth it. I hope all will have a bless day and will talk to you later. Guess I will see you tonight at the softball game Allen. I get to pitch again. going for a 2-0 record.

Anonymous said...

interesting post by Gino.
First, it takes a big person to apologize especially on a blog, so thanks and good job Gino.
Secondly, I think Gino brings out a point that we often forget. Everyone has a different story to tell about Jesus and their walk or Christianity. Being a Christian is not homogenus. With that you also have people then who bring a wide range of diversity to how it is applied. Locally diversity is something we struggle with. Add Gino now. How many other people Sunday morning have slept in a cardboard box and begged for food. Salvation and the change God made in his life is a bit different. Most there ( not all) have grown up in the Bible belt in the all american city and family in the all american church. Two drastically different paths and thus two different expereinces. Not wrong not right just different.

I do though have a question and would like to hear other's thoughts too on something Gino said. (If I misunderstood, please tell me). It seems that Gino said that if we go out looking for people to save and witness to it wont happen, but we have to have God bring them to us. Is that what you said? I think I disagree. I think witnessing in the bar, on the street corner at the pool hall all can be productive. The key is that God has to be a part of it. You have to have the desire, heart and conviction to do it and you have to turn it over to God and give God the glory. Now if you are sitting around watching TV with the guys and a wild hair hits you to run down the street and see who is in the bar and to tell them about Jesus and the purpose is to be able to tell everyone on Sunday what you did Saturday night, I really doubt there is going to be a big success rate. In contrast, if you pray and let God lead you into such a witness program, I think you will see results.
RR

Anonymous said...

On the specific....yes I believe that happens all the time. My experience has been more on when I was desperately searching (or hurting), God would send someone in my path to encourage me. On the other hand how often do we know when we have touched someone else? I don't think its very often. I've had people come up to me sometimes even years later and share how I had touched them and sometimes I don't even remember it. I don't believe in consequences when something like that happens to me. It sure is beautiful though how God works like this. How can anyone say being a Christian is boring?

Annette

Anonymous said...

I walk out the door for a couple of seconds and people are asking questions. When I say that we are not to witness to people. what I am saying, we are not to go out seeking on our behalf because if we go out seeking on our behalf, we may walk into something that was never attended for us to walk into. What is the devil purpose. To destroy our happiness. If you go out seeking, you may walk right into his pit. It's bad enough that people are scared to witness as it is. It would be like a rat going out knowing there's a cat there ready to pounce on him and even if it does get back to the hole, what is the chance of him going back out and facing the cat again. Likely never. God doesn't want us to be scared to witness to people, so he brings the people to you. I can say this and I'm not bragging, but every person I have witness too, not one has ever said, thanks but no thanks. why? The first thing I do is pray and tell God in the morning, I am ready to do your work. whatever you have for me, bring it to me or take me there. I leave it alone after that. Since I've been in Mitchell, I have witness or giving my testimony to over a hundred people and I've only been here since December. Now I am not tooting my horn but what I am saying is, don't go searching for people to witness to because the devil will set you up. even though it has never happened to me, I have seen it happen and it tears a person up inside when you feel that God has directed you to this person and he had nothing to do with it. There has been time when I wanted to give my testimony to people or witness to them but what stopped me from doing it, I didn't sense God present and if you don't sense God present there, it is best to back off. God is not going to lead you somewhere if you never dealt or have any experience with the situation. How does the one verse goes. the blind leading the blind. How can you witness to someone if you have nothing in common. think about it. Well I need to go, me tummy is empty and I am hungry. Hey I love talking about God, I can do this all day. at least with this it keeps me out of trouble. later and do write back.

Anonymous said...

After reading Gino's post all I can say is 'God bless you, Gino'. Keep walking the walk, keep holding onto God's unchanging hand. He will lead you through. He has need of you in His Kingdom, He needs us all in every situation we have come from and may be in now. Sherron

Allen said...

Good stuff you have all written; does my heart good. I think we are illustrating the wisdom of God in creating the Body of Christ. A reading of 1 Corinthians 12 is helpful. Each part has a part to play; every part is distinct, gifted, and different but is a part of the body. Indeed, it takes all kinds to make the body what it should be. Indeed, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Something happens when God combines all together to be his body; again, I make reference to 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 2:19-22.

Speaking of Ephesians... I have been reading it a lot lately. It’s funny how different things jump out at you each time you read a passage. This has really caught my eye the last two days:

Ephesians 1:18-20a

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms...

We have the resurrection power of God available to us.

Allen said...

The Resurrection power of God empowers us to live a new life. Notice the beginning of the ethic that Paul describes, beginning in Ephesians 4:17.

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Created to be like God?

A few more verses (5:1,2) down Paul says this:

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

How can we possibly do this? We can’t on our own, but we have been given the Resurrection power of God.

Humbling.

Inspiring.

Allen said...

Paul’s larger point is that all this is available to everyone, including Gentiles. This is the tie into our text this week. The Ethiopian guy is not exactly your mainstream church guy, but our story makes it abundantly clear that the Resurrection power, available through the gospel of Jesus, is meant for all, including people presently living Gino’s past.

Anonymous said...

Good morning, I should be sleep since it was a long night at work. Last week I had called down to the court house in GA about my license problem I was having and the lady on the phone was real nasty when I asked her about the paper work since it had been a month since I paid for my ticket. She informed me that the paper work had went to the address on my license and someone had sent them back. I asked her, why would you send the paper work that was on my license knowing that I living in Indiana. she said, well if you would have taken care of the ticket down here, none of this would have happened. Of course I can't say anything because this could delay the paper work for coming in and I needed it as soon as yesterday. jason from work is going to take me down to the dmv and then to the prosecutor office to get my license back. Well I better be getting to bed if I plan on getting any ugly sleep..see you later

Anonymous said...

I've been thinking about Joni's blog for a while and ruminating(isn't that what cows do?) on our scripture for the week. I feel like I have failed the young woman Joni was talking about. I should have sent her a card at least. Do you suppose we could make her address available? As for the eunuch, he had no human support system but he did have what we are all promised(one of those precious promises).He had the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which must have sustained him as he "went on his way rejoicing". We have traditionally used this scripture to teach the importance of baptism(how did the eunuch know to be baptized if Philip hadn't taught him) but I believe we can learn a lot about our purpose in this passage. Philip's purpose was obvious , but I believe there is a less obvious reason the eunuch is mentioned here by Luke. According to wikipedia the Etiopian church traces its roots to this same eunuch. Although each individual is precious in God's eyes, I believe the very purpose of God sending Philip to preach to this man was to spread the gospel to his homeland. Just as God used miraculous powers to reach Paul and others He used His power to send Philip.

Allen said...

Sherron sent me This Link that shows some of the beauty she has created.

Anonymous said...

Yesterday during Wednesday service the class went over Acts 8:26-39. A few people commented on what this verse meant to them. I really enjoyed the class and would like to share what I got from this verses. God timing is wonderful because in the last month, we have been talking about going out and witnessing to people and bringing them into God's home. Here you have Philip, a man of God who was sent out by God to witness and preach the gospel to an eunich who happened to have been going home after leaving worship. here is this eunich reading the word of God and Philip ask him do you understand what you are reading and the eunich is admitting that he doesn't so Philip teaches the eunich about Christ. What I mainly like about this story is this. Here you have a eunich who just left worshiping the Lord. He is sitting there reading the word but he doesn't understand the word so what does God do, he sends Philip to teach him the word and in one day, this guy learn the bible, learn about Christ and get baptized. Now that is what you call God getting the job done. Worship, praise, and teaching the word of God.

Anonymous said...

I don't know about ya'll but if Philip would have baptized me then Vanished I'd have wondered what was in that water!!! Kinda like Moses and the snake-stick-snake-stick thing!!! God has a good sense of humor!!
Jon Goller

Anonymous said...

Hey Jon when I use to work at the Old Savannah City Mission we had a guy there who hadn't seen his family or his daughter in over twenty years. He was a big cocaine user and when he accepted God into his life, he got a called a short time later from his daughter. His family and daughter live in two different states and she found him the same week he accepted Christ into his life. Go Figure. Twenty something years and she gives him a call. came down for his graduation and reunited with her dad. He questioned her finding him because no one knew he was in the mission, but some how she found him and he gives God all the credit.

Anonymous said...

three weeks ago we had a new guy come in to work with liner product. The first day that he was there, he was cussing up a storm. Well we have a few guys that actually talk like that but this guy was a child raised in the church from birth. Of course I find this out three days later. When I had went to work after the softball game last week, he had seen my jersey and asked me about the church. When I was done, he had told me that he had been going to church since he was a little baby. I had asked him when was the last time had he been to church and he told me that he has never missed a Sunday and that he goes atleast twice a week. I than asked him, how is it that you go to church every week but you're present is so dark. He asked me what did I mean, I told him. Your first day here and since then, all you ever do is cuss, cuss, cuss. I told him when you are among the world, you can't be Christ like talking like them. The world doesn't know better, this is the reason that God will judge them different than us but with us, we no better. I asked him, how can you ever witness to people if you are talking like the devil. Even the world knows better than that. they may not have the full concept of the word but they do understand what is wrong and they know when a child of God's cuss it is wrong so when they hear you cuss and try to witness, do you really think they are going to listen to you? No, they will see you as Christ see you, as a hypocrite. I told him, God does not claim mix children as his. There is no half and half. You either claim God or claim the devil but you can't claim both. I don't know when Guy pulled him into the office but Guy and I talked about this a couple of days ago and Guy told me, he had to tell the guy the same thing because all he kept doing was cussing. He told Guy that I already said something to him about it. He quit the same day Guy confronted him about the same thing. Now some people may say that we judged him but what Guy and I was trying to let him know was this. If you are claiming to be a Christian but you aren't actually advertising yourself as being a Christian, then how can you expect anyone to see you as a Christian. Being a Christian is a twenty four seven days a week event. If you talk like the world, then you are of the world.

Allen said...

Good point, Jon. Me, I would have been wondering, “What did I do to run him off?” Didn’t seem to matter to Mr. E. He went on his way rejoicing.

Great point, about speech, Gino!

For a really neat post from my friend, Jeff, click Here

Where is Bigg Daddy? I am wanting to be all that I can be as a Holy Smoker, but I need advice on Boston Butt. I smoked a whole chicken the other night. HMMM So far I have done ribs twice and chicken once. I work to try BB, knowing full well that I will not ever be as good as BD.

Allen said...

Been seeing lots and lots of motorcycles. I guess they are heading to the Boogie. I was thinking of getting a moped and some leather clothing for Kedra and me and headin’ on up.

Anonymous said...

Allen on a moped and Kedra as the back seat rider. Can I ride the handle bars, please, please??? Last night/this morning was a wonderful morning at work. I was told never to dance at work again. Talk about a bunch of guys hurting a person feelings. No one enjoyed my hillbilly dancing to Bad Bad Leroy Brown song. People just jealous because a brown man can dance to hillbilly music. well I need to go and get some sleep. later for now and Allen, don't forget to add a basket on the handle bars of your moped. Need somewhere to rest my lovely tush..

Anonymous said...

Allen, suprisingly that might be a good idea. I think at lot of people up at the Boogie could use Christ! You and Kedra would be great examples to them :O) -Erin E